People who drive into Swansea to do their Christmas shopping are likely to feel stressed out before they even set foot in the stores. A survey out today shows that more than half of motorists complain of shopping stress at this the busiest time of year.

After having battled through road chaos, shoppers then have to scour overflowing car parks looking for a space.

Often shoppers simply refuse to queue and turn round and go home instead.

Frances Browning of insurers Churchill, which commissioned the survey, said: "Stress is clearly a contributing factor of car accidents around Christmas, so people would be well-advised to plan their shopping trips in advance, to avoid a last-minute dash to the shops.

"What's worrying is that motorists are telling us they are so tense that they find it hard to concentrate on driving around the festive season."

Road safety experts say people should leave plenty of time for journeys and allow for queues, and use park and ride facilities when they are available.

Psychotherapist Christine Webber's top tip for a less stressful trip is not to take the children with you.

"Most of us need to use our cars for the big Christmas supermarket shop and all that present-buying. Unfortunately, kids are so excited at Christmas that they're even more noisy than usual.

"So, taking them with us just adds to our already high levels of stress. With a bit of planning, most parents can park their children with relatives, friends or neighbours."